


i owe you

by broadway_hufflepuff



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Child Abuse, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Good Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Harry Potter Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Hurt/Comfort, Legilimency, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, No Slash, Not Epilogue Compliant, Not Really Character Death, Occlumency, Past Child Abuse, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Redeemed Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22295329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broadway_hufflepuff/pseuds/broadway_hufflepuff
Summary: Hesitating, Draco sat down next to him. "What... was that?"Harry let out a dry scoff. "My childhood, Malfoy. Not exactly the 'Saviour treatment' you expected, huh?"Or, Draco is ordered to teach Harry Occlumency.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 413





	i owe you

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Locked Cupboards](https://archiveofourown.org/works/767939) by [Lomonaaeren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lomonaaeren/pseuds/Lomonaaeren). 



> Hello! Here is a fic idea I've been sitting on for quite some time. It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but I'm going to post it anyway.  
> I really love fics where Draco helps Harry through the war trauma and his childhood trauma. I don't really ship Drarry, so this fic contains no slash, however I guess it can be seen as slash if that's what you want.
> 
> WARNING:  
> This fic contains mentions/scenes of child abuse from the Dursley's, and anxiety attacks. Please only read if you feel that this is something your mental health can handle.
> 
> Remember, you matter <3
> 
> Per usual, please do not repost!  
> Characters aren't mine.

"Potter," sneered Draco, "Look. I don't want to do this either, but if you don't _let me_ teach you Occlumency then you're not getting to be an auror. And I won't get to go back to Hogwarts."

Harry snorted. "As if I haven't already helped you enough, Malfoy." His hand is still on his wand, wary. "For crying out loud, they have other Legilimens than you. I don't see why I even need to be taught this! The war is over."

"Maybe so, but the _Ministry insists._ The last thing _I_ want to spend my summer doing is seeing your Oh So Wonderful thoughts, but here we are." Draco sat on the egde of Harry's sofa, looking haughtily around at the state of the home. "What is this place, a pig sty? Honestly, you'd think the Saviour of the Wizarding World would get more than this." Smirking, he turned his gaze back to Harry. "Let's just get this over with, alright?"

Harry's face twisted into a frown. "Uh," he fidgeted with his hands in his lap. "Uh, so, Snape tried to teach me this before. I'm not- not very good at it."

Malfoy looked disgusted. _"Lovely,"_ he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. His plantinum blonde hair stayed plastered down even as he ran a hand over it. "Fuck, let's do the first lesson- and hopefully the last- now. I don't have all day you know, Potter. As I'm sure you don't, what with all your... _fans."_

Harry growled. "Shut up!" 

Malfoy's lip curled. "Alright, Potter. Clear your mind."

"Easier said than done," muttered Harry, but he tried anyway.

Draco's rolled his eyes dramtically. "Do you _have_ to make a _face?_ You look more constipated than usual."

Harry's eyes snapped open, and his concentration slipped. "What the fuck is your _prob-"_

 _"Legilimens!"_ yelled Draco, once he knew Potter was caught off guard. (After all, you never know when someone could cast that.)

Harry's eyes widened and he tried to remove his straggling thoughts from his head, but Draco had already succeeded.

* * *

_"Freak!"_

_A small boy was curled up in a closet of some sort, a few poorly drawn pictures on the walls. A grate was on the door, and it slid open. A large face sneered through. "You thought about what you did, boy?"_

_The boy's breathing quickened. "Uncle Vernon, I-"_

_"No dinner," the man said. "If you're lucky, maybe at the end of the week. But next time you pull a stunt like this-"_

_"I didn't_ do _anything!"_ _protested the boy. "Please, I'm hungry! At least bring me some water."_

_The man laughed. "Freaks don't need water. If you're really as powerful as you say, you should be able to get it yourself."_

* * *

Draco pulled himself out of Harry's mind, head throbbing with unanswered questions. "What the _hell?"_

Harry was backed into the wall, anxiously sliding to the floor. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Potter, who was that child?" asked Draco. He was angry. "I couldn't see who it was- you blocked out that much."

Potter breathed a sigh of relief, shoulders sagging. 

"That just means you're _hiding_ something," Draco snarled. He advanced towards Harry. "I thought you were the Golden Boy... I thought you were a _good person._ But abusing a child? Or, knowing a child is being abused and not doing anything about it?" Draco fumed, his face flushed bright red. 

Harry's eyes were panicked. _"What?_ No, I would never-"

Draco slammed his hand on the table. "Then who was it? We need to get that kid _out_ of there, or something! The fact that you've waited this long... he could be _dead."_

Harry's head dropped. "He's fine," he said quietly. "That boy... he's alive."

Malfoy laughed drily. "Maybe physically, sure. But mentally? Emotionally? Fucking hell, Potter, you disgust me! You never told _anyone-"_

"MALFOY, SHUT UP!" roared Harry, falling back onto the floor. "SHUT UP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! WHY WOULD I HIDE THAT FROM ANYONE IF-"

"Yeah," Draco screamed back, "Why the hell _would_ you hide that? I'd like to know, Potter, I really wou-"

"-It's ME, alright, MALFOY?" shouted Harry, and then he froze, realizing what he'd said.

Draco's head whipped towards Potter. "What?" he said quietly.

"It- that boy, he's me, that's my memory, are you really that dense? You're a Legilimens, I would think you would have realized it was my memory..." Harry trailed off, hands beginning to shake."Oh, god," he mumured. He pulled himself to his feet. "I have to- I have to go."

He took a step, but stumbled, launching himself into the side of the desk.

"Bloody hell," began Draco, but his tone was no longer accusatory. "Sit down. You're going to hurt yourself."

"I have to go," he repeated. "You can't know about this- you can't-"

"Potter, just wait a moment, okay?" 

Harry slid back down to the floor, too tired to fight anymore.

Hesitating, Draco sat down next to him. "What... was that?"

Harry let out a dry scoff. "My childhood, Malfoy. Not exactly the 'Saviour treatment' you expected, huh?"

Draco grimaced. "Yeah, I... whoa. Shit, I had no idea."

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm... er, sorry," he added. "I probably made that more stressful, with all the yelling- are you alright?"

Harry nodded, his pale face shining with tears. "I've been through worse, honestly. It's fine."

"It's not _fine,"_ argued Draco. "You were abused, Potter, I don't think you're _fine."_

"It's been a long time, I'm over it."

"You just _broke down,"_ Malfoy reminded him. "How long has it been since you talked to someone about this?"

Harry glanced down at his shoes, one hand smoothing his raven hair down. "Never, I guess?"

Draco drew in a sharp breath. "Potter, you... you really should see someone."

"Why should you care?"

"Because I _owe you,_ as you so kindly pointed out earlier. I can't not fulfill a life _debt_ to the Great Harry-" Draco cut himself off. "-Er, I can't go back on my word. It's a pride thing."

Harry winced. "Well, I appreciate the thought, but seriously- we can just forget this ever happened. I'll tell the Ministry that I scared you off- you won't get in trouble, I'll make sure of that- and I was unable to learn Occlumency."

Draco shook his head. "No. I- does the Weaselette know?"

"Of course not."

"Weasley and Granger?"

"They know I had a bad relationship with my aunt and uncle, but they didn't know what _you_ just saw."

Draco squeezed his eyes shut. "Potter, I can't just walk away from this. It's... that's not me. Maybe I would have three years ago, but... I need you to talk to someone about this, I need you to... I need you to tell _someone."_

"Who would I even tell?" asked Harry softly, getting to his feet. "Ron and Hermione are going through enough, and Ginny's coping with Fred's death... this has no place in their lives right now."

Malfoy gritted his teeth. "Talk to me."

Harry looked startled. "Huh?"

"I _said_ , talk to me. I have a therapist, I can give you their information. I just really think you should tell someone, Potter." He paused. "You know your parents would have wanted you to get help."

Harry staggered backwards as if he'd been hit. Draco steadied him by grabbing his upper arm gently.

"I'll even come with you, if you're worried about it," added Draco. 

Harry straightened. "Alright, _fine,_ I'll go."

They stood in silence for a moment, Draco heading towards the door.

Just as he was about to leave, Harry added "Malfoy? Why are you helping me?"

Draco stopped, hand lingering on the doorknob. "I told you. I owe you."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are much appreciated!


End file.
